Uzumaki Chronicles: Cats and Dogs
by Rurouni Tyriel
Summary: A new clan of shinobi wishes to settle in Konoha, but before they can a rescue must be mounted, to save one of their own who has been kidnapped, and Konoha has dispatched a team to bring them home.
1. Catnapping

**Disclaimer: **

I don't own Naruto, they belong to Kishimoto. I wish I owned Naruto though, or at least had permission to write for the filler arcs. Then I could get this story animated. Oh yeah, and Tora belongs to Briikittee.

**Summary: **

A new clan of shinobi wishes to settle in Konoha, but before they can a rescue must be mounted, to save one of their own who has been kidnapped. Takes place sometime after the Konoha Eleven Arc (and thus almost anytime during the other Fillers) and before the Timeskip. Rated PG-13 for action violence and some light cursing.

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In the shinobi world, most ninja fell into one of two categories. Those who worked for one of the organized Hidden Villages, and those declared "missing-nin" who were ruthlessly hunted and pursued by one of the former. Even those shinobi who had left their home villages with permission, on extended missions or simply tired of the ninja lifestyle, tended to fall into this category because they were on their own. They had no permanent base of operations, no access to funds beyond those they earned themselves, and had no comrades to back them up during troubled times.

However, over time, as a number of smaller Hidden Villages had popped up, so too had a number of wandering groups of ninja with their own agenda. Akatsuki, spoken of in whispers, was one such group, their members shrouded in shadow, their goals and abilities as of yet unknown. The Watari ninja, who'd tried to seize control of the Bird country, had been another such group, though they'd all but been destroyed by the intervention of Konoha's own shinobi. Fortunately, however, not all of them were bad. Some of them were groups that simply enjoyed the free lifestyle of wandering ninja, not being forced to answer to a damiyo or a kage.

And herein we find the tiny clan of Owani.

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"This is outrageous to even consider!"

"I am aware this will require a great deal of... change," replied the head of the Owani clan, a long-haired, wild looking man. "But this is ultimately what is best for our future."

The Owani clan lay gathered around a campfire, in a clearing deep in the woods of the Fire Country, where they currently resided. It's members shared a number of features. Long, bushy hair the color red, from a bright carrot-orange to a dark auburn. They were feral looking and lanky, thin and muscular. Red marks covered their bodies, though whether tattoos or some strange form of birthmark a casual observer couldn't tell. And their clothes were marked with the symbol of a paw, the crest of the Owani clan.

And, of course, there were cats.

Cats everywhere. Big cats, little cats. Massive beasts that prowled alongside their masters, standing as tall as their hips. Tiny little felines that perched themselves on heads or shoulders. Browns, orange, white and black, a myriad of colors splashed across their campsite, the air filled with the faint mews and quiet roars of their cats. Cats were the pride of the Owani clan, after all. Their members fought alongside their feline companions, much like the Inuzuka clan up north in Konoha proper. But they had worked independently, selling their skills to nearby villages, doing their jobs, then moving on, never settling in one place for more than a month.

Until now.

"I say again, this is outrageous!" roared one of the younger members of the Owani, a bushy-haired man. "We Owani have never settled anywhere. It is not our way!" Beside him, his companion, a stripy white tiger, growled in agreement.

The clan head frowned darkly at that, cat-like eyes narrow with displeasure. "It was our way. But our ways must change or our future will not survive. Now listen to me... all of you... I have been recently been in contact with the Hokage of Konoha herself," he said, holding up a scroll in his hand.

"She has assured our clan safety and prosperity if we choose to settle here, in the Fire Country. The Hidden Village of Leaves is as good a village as any for us to settle and raise our children and their children's children," he stated emphatically, well aware of the close family ties of the Owani clan. In particular, one whom had convinced the head to undertake this radical change to the family.

Sitting at the far end of the campsite, shrouded partially in shadow, his daughter, Tora. To his annoyance (and maybe a little amusement, he admitted privately) she wasn't paying much attention, she was playing with Tigtig, the tiny persian who'd recently been given to her as her companion. Idly, he wondered to himself how a six pound cat was able to pin a hundred-pound little girl while they tussled, but didn't bother to question it aloud.

To his relief, however, most of the rest of the Clan seemed to be agreeing with him. These were dark times, after all. Troubled times for all shinobi. Being safe and having a steady stream of income was a necessity harder and harder to find for wandering ninja.

"What about the Inuzuka's?" someone called out from the back, a grizzled veteran with a black and white tabby under each arm and more scars than he had skin (or so it seemed sometimes).

The head of the clan smiled, having anticipating that. "The Hokage assures me that our Clan will be settle on ground opposite that of our rivals, and that barring missions we should have no trouble from them. Beyond that, the head of their clan is anxious to put the old feud to an end and start fresh. If we are willing to do the same, I see no reason why we need let an old hatred stop us."

Murmured words and nodding was the reply.

"As always, I am willing to listen to objections... have we any?"

Silence greeted him, punctuated only by one of the tigers giving a loud yawn.

He chuckled at that. "I agree, it -is- late. Very well, get some rest, all of you... we set out in the morning for Konoha."

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The Owani tribe, usually on the move, slept in tents they carried on their backs while they traveled, set up in a semi-circle around the larger campfires. Older members bid their children and siblings good-night as they sat by the fire into the early evening, talking, playing, working. Food from hunting done earlier in the day was passed out, and Owani clan tore into it with canines and appetites as sharp as their feline companions. And about as much table manners.

Far from the main fire, the head of the clan, sighing with relief after his long debate, relaxed on a log resting outside his own tent. He felt very, very tired indeed. It would be good to settle down and rest instead of being always on the move, he thought. Lying before his tent on the ground was Lynx, his partner. A great brute in appearance, but in reality a gentle spirit, Lynx had been crippled during a mission a while back, and now made it's way along on three legs instead of four.

"Father?"

He smiled, having heard her coming a while off. "Tora... please... join me," he said, indicating a log across from him.

Tora sat down, cradling Tigtig in her arms, and in the dim light her father studied her. Not too tall, not too thin, but seemingly having shot up like a reed sometime since he'd last taken a good look at her. Then again, at her age that wasn't much of a surprise. Had she lived in a Hidden Village she'd likely be graduating from the Academy about now. Her eyes were piercing green, like her father's, and slanted and slitted like a cat's. But her hair was definitely her mother's, a mass of crimson curls that splayed every which way atop of her head. She was dressed in the white linen wraps of a kunoichi and a green tunic and skirt bearing the Owani crest.

"Are we really going to Konoha?!" she asked excitedly. In her arms, Tigtig gave a happy mewl, clearly excited as well.

He smiled wearily, sometimes envying the seemingly boundless energy his daughter had. "Yes, we're going to settle in Konoha. The others agree. Those that don't will once we get there."

"That's wonderful! Oooh..." she said, suddenly thoughtful. "What about those Inuzuka's? I hear they don't like us. And... and they sound scary," she added in a subdued tone.

He frowned lightly. "Who's been saying that?"

"No one in particular just... stuff I hear," she said. "Is it true?"

"Inuzuka's bond with dogs the way we do with cats... so naturally our Clans have had some... er... animosity in the past," he replied carefully. "But they are not mindless animals anymore than we are. You'll see. Konoha's a wonderful place. You've never been, but I've done missions out of Konoha some time ago."

She smiled again, so easily. "I can't wait!"

"Get some rest then... both of you," he added for Tigtig's benefit, knowing the little persian was prone to wandering about all night. "We leave in the morning."

"Hai!"

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Lots of young shinobi in Konoha dreamed at an early age what being Hokage must've been like. Glorious, life-or-death battles against incredibly powerful opponents. Being regarded as a hero by the entire village. If many had known just what sorts of details the job entailed, their precious hopes and dreams would've been dashed aside in moments.

As it was, Tsunade still sometimes wondered what had possessed Nawaki, Dan, and Naruto to ever want this job, even as she stamped the last papers with her seal and approved the next set of missions.

Today was an especially busy day, unfortunately. But then again, ever since the Sound and Sand invasion, the village had been swamped in more than it's share of work. Too many missions, not enough shinobi to handle them all. If not for Shizune's ministrations, plus the assistance of Kotetsu and Izumo, Tsunade would've done the honorable thing long ago and killed herself before boredom and paperwork did the job for her.

She was shifting through the latest hospital expense sheets when Sakura came bursting into the room, slamming the door open. Seeing her apprentice in such an agitated state, it was clear something was up, and Tsunade quickly rose.

"What is it?"

"Trouble."

Not a word Sakura used lightly, trouble could mean anything from the Kyuubi breaking free of Naruto to another invasion of the Sound to an influx of wounded at a short-staffed hospital. Fortunately, as Sakura and Tsunade arrived, it turned out to be the latter, and they moved in quickly to assist, Shizune (who was on duty that day) pointing them out to the appropriate areas they could be most needed. What troubled Tsunade, however, was those they were treating.

It was the Owani clan.

Tsunade had been expecting them later today in her office (well, just their head and maybe his cat) but if they were all here, they must've been attacked outside of Konoha's borders and made their way back injured.

"Tsunade-sama! Tsunade-sama!"

Snapping her head up from her injured patient, a scarred veteran, Tsunade saw the head of the Owani clan come barreling down the corridor towards her.

"Tsunade-sama!"

"Yes, yes I'm here, we're doing all we can."

"No, it's not that... the attackers... they've kidnapped my daughter!"

Tsunade's eyes opened wide in shock, then narrowed angrily.

If today was going to be this bad, she vowed, it wasn't going to be just for her. Whoever had made this slight against Konoha and their new clan would be paying for it.

"Sakura!"

The pink-haired kunoichi's head snapped up as she set the bone for one of her patients, and she hurried over as quickly as she could. Tsunade didn't care for lightening their already short-staffed medical team, but she needed a runner, and Sakura was quickest, so there was no helping it.

"Go find Naruto," Tsunade ordered, then before Sakura ran off, glanced up at a the clock on the nearby wall. Noon.

"Start at Ichiraku's."

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**Author's Notes: **

The Owani clan, as well as their heiress Tora and her Tigtig, are trademarked to Briikittee. I saw some artwork on deviantart, we met, one thing led to another, blows were excha-... I mean -ideas- were exchanged, and this story spawned from it.


	2. Debts to Repay

Konoha's Number One Unpredictable Ninja may have been able to surprise people in most respects, but when it came to food, he worked like clockwork, appearing without fail at Ichiraku's at Noon for his lunch, unless he was in the middle of a mission.

He'd been deep into his third bowl (extra-thick beef) when Sakura had found him and passed along her message from Tsunade. Basically, to utilize his tremendously useful ability to be virtually everywhere at once and round up those who could help in tracking down and rescuing Tora (of whom he was given a brief description). His mission accepted, Naruto gulped down the remains of his bowl, tossed down some cash for the old man and his daughter, and leapt up into the air.

"_Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!_"

A burst of smoke and then no less than a dozen Naruto's were running in all directions to seek out those they knew and those who could be useful. Tsunade's instructions (brief though they were) permitted only Genins to be used. So Naruto immediately thought of the Rookie Nine, as well as Gai's team, and set out to their usual stomping grounds to recruit them for a noble mission.

Unfortunately, easier said than done.

Stopping by the Hyuuga complex, a member of the Branch family informed Naruto that Neji and his team were away on a mission to the Bird Country, meeting with their feudal lord and lady about some protection work. They also said they hadn't seen Hinata today either, so Naruto didn't expect to find her either. He tried the Academy next, but Shikamaru was away on a field trip with some of the younger students. Ino and Chouji were in the hospital recovering from their last mission. Asuma told him that. While there he bumped into Kurenai as well, but she only confirmed that Hinata and Shino were away on a mission near Hidden Grass territory, and would be aware for some time. And Sakura was on full-time hospital duty, it was made clear she couldn't be part of this mission.

Coming close to pulling his hair out in frustration, Naruto turned to the only remaining Genin he knew of, and thus found himself at the Inuzuka compound.

"Hello?" he called out. "Anyone home?"

"Around the back, Naruto," came a female voice from behind the house proper. "In the training field!"

It was in the backyard of the Inuzuka's home that Naruto found the speaker. Kiba's older sister Inuzuka Hana, who was playing fetch with her three canine companions, each of whom was about as big as Naruto and looked vicious in a fight, though right now they were cute as puppies chasing after Hana's thrown sticks. She took a moment to brush her hair back before turning to face him.

"Naruto-san... what can I do for you?" she asked.

Naruto was tempted to ask her to join the mission as well, but she wasn't a genin (at least, he didn't think so, wasn't she a chuunin? No, she must've been at least that, she had the flak jacket) but instead asked if Kiba was around, fully expecting to have to carry out a solo mission if Kiba wasn't able to join him.

To her relief, she put two fingers to her lips and blew, giving a sharp whistle noise that grated on Naruto's ears. Fortunately, it passed quickly. When it was done, two figures came running towards the field from the far end, two more forms loping along beside them on all fours.

It was Kiba and his mom, as well as their dog familiars. Naruto smiled, maybe he and Kiba wouldn't have to do this mission alone after all. There was always Akamaru, after all.

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Naruto quickly explained his mission to the three Inuzuka's, the two older women's interest grabbed when the Owani clan was mentioned.

"So come on let's go Kiba!" shouted the blonde, grabbing his arm and hauling him after himself as they ran towards the gates.

"Hold it!" shouted Kiba's mother, whom Naruto vaguely recalled was named Tsume.

Both boys skidded to a halt, and Akamaru bumped into the back of Kiba's leg. "What?"

"We're coming with you," stated Tsume in no uncertain terms. Her companion, a big shaggy gray wolf with an eyepatch, barked in agreement.

"Granny Tsunade said I'm not allowed to bring non-Genin," replied Naruto. "She said..."

"She can take it up with me when we get back," replied Tsume, patting Naruto on the shoulder. "Besides, I've got an old debt to repay the Owani clan. This seems like a good opportunity. We're coming."

"Oh... okay then. Uhm... where do we start?"

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The Inuzuka clan were expert trackers, rivaled in the past only by their allies the Aburame, before the Bikouchuu bugs had all but been wiped out. They could track a single scent across the length of the Fire Country and into another. One they were on your trail, a shinobi could run, but they couldn't hide.

Tsume, Hana, Kiba and Naruto made good time to the attack locale, considering it wasn't far from the southern gate of Konoha. From there, it was an easy matter to pick up the scent of the only Owani who hadn't gone north into Konoha to be hospitalized. Owani tended to smell differently than most shinobi, much like the Inuzuka's. No matter how frequently they bathed, the faint smell of wet fur tended to accompany them wherever they went. Most learned to politely ignore it (especially if they wanted to keep all of their teeth).

So they had the scent, and they were off, racing along the ground. It only took them an hour to cut the distance to their quarry in half, and by then they knew exactly where they were going.

South of the Wave Country, on a peninsula bordering the Fire Country, there existed the tiny Twilight country, a murky region that seemed perpetually covered in overcast skies and dark nights. The ground below wasn't very pleasant either, being some of the murkiest, slimiest swamps this side of the world. The four ninja and their familiars had to slow to a near-crawl to avoid leaping headfirst into quicksand or a bog. The region quickly told Tsume, the most experienced of the team, exactly where they were going.

"The Village Hidden in the Swamp," she spat bitterly. "Xenophobic, psychotic, inbred bastards, every one of them."

"Xenop... whaaa?" asked Naruto, brushing a few tall patches of tall grass out of the way.

"They don't like outsiders," replied Hana, ducking under a low branch. "And don't ask what inbred is I really doubt you want Mom to tell you."

This earned her a dirty look from Tsume, as if to say 'and what's -that- supposed to mean?' None-the-less, the two kunoichi got decidedly quieter the closer they got to their objective. Soon it became visible in the thickening mists, a haze of light on the horizon and the distinct, shadowy shapes of buildings.

"Hidden Swamp," stated Hana, kneeling on the ground and sniffing slightly. "The girl's scent continues that way."

"Then that's where we go."

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After another hour or so encircling Hidden Swamp, the team met up and regrouped on the far side. By now, thanks to the efforts of the Inuzuka's keen eyes and noses, they had a rough idea of where everything was, and were ready to plan an attack.

Tsume held up her hand to signal for a stop, and squatted down in the muddy ground. Naruto and Kiba moved in quickly to listen, as did Hana. "Here is our plan," she stated, grabbing up a stick. "Simple and straight-forward. Hana... you and I will hit here..." she said, drawing a rough circle of the village and tapping the far side. "This is near their Academy. No casualties, we don't want to start a war. Just throw down a ton of smoke bombs to create confusion and panic. We'll withdraw when it gets too hot."

"Kiba, Naruto..." she continued, tapping the other side. "Go in here. This should be where the Owani girl is. Grab her, get out, then run back to Hidden Leaf as fast as your legs can carry you. Don't wait for us, don't even come back for us if it seems we're in trouble. Your mission is the girl, got it?"

"Got it mom," replied Kiba.

"Yeah," added Naruto. "They won't know what hit 'em."

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The plan almost went off without a hitch.

Kiba and Naruto were in position, concealed behind some thick cypress trees, watching the sentries of what they could only presume was the Swamp prison, since most of the windows were covered in bars. It wasn't very big though. Hopefully they wouldn't have trouble finding their objective and getting out quickly. However, once explosions started breaking out on the far end of the village they started running into trouble.

For one, Naruto slipped into a patch of swamp water before they reached the building, noisly splashing it everywhere. Both of the guards, already tense from the explosions, spotted his distinct bright orange coat easily, and they would've turned him into a kunai pin-cushion if Kiba and Akamaru hadn't come through with a _Gatsuuga_ that knocked them both down pretty quickly. Naruto angrily stomped out of the water, which had already soaked his pants, but he didn't have time to stop and dry off as he and Kiba tore off the door's lock and made their way into the small building, following Akamaru's keen chakra-sniffing nose.

"Okay Akamaru, where is she?"

"Arf!" barked Akamaru, pointing his nose towards a nearby door.

"Got it," he replied. Then, much louder, "Yo, Owani! Stand back!"

"Ready!" came the reply.

"_Tsu-_!" Kiba called out, about to charge forward and spin, but a whirl of chakra behind him caught his attention. Fearing an enemy attack he slid to a halt and turned to face his enemy, only to spot Naruto and one of his clones preparing his signature attack.

"_Rasengan_!"

Naruto slammed his whirling ball of chakra against the door, tearing it wide open in a matter of moments despite being made of solid steel. Naruto grinned at his teammate. "Can't let you have all the fun, can I now?"

Beyond, both boys quickly caught sight of their objective, a young girl not much older than either of them with crimson curls. The tiny cat crouched at her feet, not much bigger than Akamaru, confirmed her identity. "Who're you?" she asked, and then spotted Naruto's forehead protector. "Konoha?"

"We're here to rescue you, now let's get out of here!" replied Kiba. As one, the three of them (as well as their two familiars) ran towards the door. Several more guards tried to stop them but Naruto and Kiba made quick work of them. They didn't even need fancy ninjutsu to take them out, they settled for good ol' fashioned kicks and punches. Comparable to most Hidden Villages, and especially Konoha, the shinobi of Hidden Swamp were so weak it was almost embarrassing.

Naruto said as much.

"Pushovers," agreed Kiba.

"They're tougher than they look!" replied Tora hotly, angry at the implication her Clan had been taken by amateur shinobi. "Some of them, at least," she added, giving a kick in the side to one of the fallen ninja, as payback for her being taken captive in the first place. "Where're we going?"

"Back to Konoha," stated Kiba, as they emerged from the building. Once they were safely outside, Kiba turned to Naruto, nodding. "Okay, now."

Naruto snapped his hands together into familiar seals.

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By the time Hidden Swamps forces recovered with moderate quickness after Tsume and Hana's opening attacks. Fortunately, since neither Inuzuka kunoichi was aiming to kill, none of the Academy students were hurt, none of their shinobi Chuunin harmed. They pulled back before anything big happened and, as planned, made their way along the coast and around the swamp before putting on speed towards Konoha, hoping to lead off pursuers.

Unfortunately, no such luck.

Realizing they'd been duped when signal flares went up from the prison, Hidden Swamp redirected their forces quickly, sparing only a few to chase after the Inuzuka women. They found a blonde-haired boy, another Inuzuka, and their Owani prisoner escaping, heading north towards the Wave country. Unfortunately, they weren't able to move fast enough, and they got corned down a back-alleyway by some big jounins.

However, it was all part of Kiba and Naruto's plan.

Two puffs of smoke later, and only the blonde-haired boy retained his original look, the other two now looked like mirror copies of him. Three puffs of smoke after that, and there wasn't anything left in the alley except empty air and some very confused Swamp jounins.

_Bunshin no Jutsu_ -and- _Henge no Jutsu_. They'd been tricked.

Now, in the office of the head of the Hidden Swamp, their leader, an ancient shinobi with skin like dried leather, was plotting what to do next. He stroked his white beard, his one eye a baleful yellow as he watched the horizon. Two subordinates already lay dead at his feet for delivering such distressing news, and the third looked on the verge of soiling his undergarments.

"Fetch Dokueki," their leader stated.

Grateful to leave, the subordinate all but bolted out of the room.

In Hidden Swamp, Dokueki was a name synonymous with fear and death. Whenever a mission had to be done, they sent him. And he hadn't failed yet.

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**Author's Notes: **

Hidden Swamp and the Twilight country are completely made up, but they fit roughly into that small unnamed country on the world map of the Naruto-verse, on a peninsula. The one below the Wave Country and the Great Naruto Bridge. Dokueki is Japanese for 'Venom.'


	3. Leader of the Pack

Naruto, Kiba, and the Owani girl whose name they learned was Tora were quick to move along the swamplands and onto dryer, more solid land so they could run along at faster speeds. They were already well ahead of any possible pursuers, thanks to Naruto's trickery, and likely wouldn't have any problems, so they made a straight line back to Konoha.

The only real problem was, none of them were -quite- sure which way was the straight line they wanted.

"Kiba, come -on- already!" shouted Naruto angrily. He thrust the map under his feral companions nose. "The map says we should go straight along the river! Look at it!"

"I'm looking," replied Kiba angrily, swatting it away. "And I'm telling you not to be such an air-headed blonde! I've been that way before, it's nothing but rocky ground. We should head south and then head west along the river, on the -other- -side-. You imbecile!"

"What'd you call me?!"

A cry split the air, though it was more the roar of a wildcat than it was the cry of frustration of a twelve-year-old girl. Tora had heard the two boys do nothing but bicker since they'd rescued her. Between that and being wet (it was drizzling lightly), to say nothing of having been kidnapped, her patience was at it's absolute end.

"Both of you shuttup! Goddamnit I have never seen such a sorry operation! You call this a rescue?!" shouted Owani, directly into both of their faces.

Kiba, never one to back down from a fight, barked right back "that's some way of showing gratitude, jou-chan! We just rescued your sorry tail from Hidden Swamp, how about some gratitude?!"

"So far all you've managed to do so far is get us lost... gimme that..." she said, yanking the map from Naruto's hands. About to protect, the blonde ninja was hissed at, and he stumbled backwards in shock. "Hmmm. Good I know this region... Kiba's right, we head south," she said, snapping her arm and rolling up the map, then tossing it to Naruto, who barely caught it in time.

When both genin looked up, Tora and Tigtig were already heading down the hill.

"Coming?" she called up at them.

Muttering, the two boys followed after her.

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Unfortunately, even with Kiba's expertise at fieldwork, backed-up by Tora's map-reading skills, they didn't make much ground on the first day thanks to bad weather. The light drizzle quickly turned into a full downpour, forcing them to seek shelter in a nearby cave Naruto stumbled across (stumbled into, rather). Tora quickly had a fire going and the three of them decided on a hot meal while they waited for the weather to blow over.

As the storm raged outside, Kiba sneezed, grumbling angrily. The dog-ninja rarely caught cold, but whenever he did, it never failed to put him in a foul mood. Shivering and soaking wet across from him, and not enjoying the benefit of a heavy coat like her comrades, Tora was in a similar miserable state.

And then there was Naruto, who realized he'd forgotten to pack his ramen for the trip.

So there were three very surly ninjas in a small cramped space until the storm passed. It was a minor miracle none of them wound up dead.

Kiba was somewhat quiet, which was unusual for him. He tore into some beef jerky he'd brought along for the trip, regarding Tora with a critical eye. She and Tigtig (whom she'd introduced to them) didn't look all that special, but then again Akamru's small stature had caused him to be underestimated before as well. Usually to an enemies misfortune.

"What?" she snapped at him.

He frowned, not liking to be challenged. "You're one of the legendary Owani? Cat Ninjas?"

"And you're a Dog Ninja? Inuzuka?"

Give and take, even amongst shinobi. Kiba nodded. "The Hokage felt our tracking would be necessary to find you."

"Actually Kiba was the only genin left in Konoha when I had to find teammates," Naruto stated, unhappily munching on some cold trail mix. "Couldn't find anyone else."

Kiba growled unhappily at that description, but Tora giggled. "Oh, I get it. You were all they had left? What, not even a three-man squad?"

"I got injured on my last mission," replied Kiba, shrugging off his jacket to expose his left arm, showing a nasty gash that didn't look fully healed running from shoulder down almost to the elbow. "My teammates had to go on without me while I healed. They should be in Hidden Grass by now."

"... oh," she replied, a little lamely.

Kiba grunted, shrugging his jacket back on. "We'll leave soon as the storm lets up. Naruto, let me know when, I'm takin' a nap," he grumbled, lying on his side and curling up his jacket. Akamaru, nearby, curled up beside him, doing his best to keep his master warm.

Tora smirked. "Not going to walk in circles before you lay down, Inuzuka?"

"Bite me," he grumbled, closing his eyes and trying to rest.

"You wish," she quipped, before lying down herself on the opposite end of the cavern. "I think I'm going to rest as well... Naruto, was it?" He nodded. "Wake us when it's time to go?"

"Uh... sure... but why do I get stuck with guard duty?"

Neither of his team answered, both were already fast asleep. Being experienced ninja, they could fall asleep and wake up in an instant if their mission required it. Naruto frowned, scratching his blonde spikes as he pondered of their angry behavior towards one another.

"Wow, they really are like cats and dogs... they totally hate each other."

Uzumaki Naruto was infamous for many talents. Perseverance. Adaptability. Loyalty to his friends. But his understandings of human nature and emotions was limited, to say the least.

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The storm ended late in the afternoon, when the sun was already starting to set. Going was slow because of the soggy ground but otherwise the team made good time as they headed south, then turned west at the end of a series of markers and headed west along the river. They'd cross one of it's tributaries before they were back in Fire Country but from there it would be straight going back to Konoha itself, where Tora's family was waiting for her, and presumably Kiba's was too.

However, they weren't out of the woods just yet.

This time of year rain was frequent in this part of the country, something that wasn't shown on the map they'd brought with them. The tributary they reached was overflowing and nearly twice as wide as they'd expected, and was running fast and hard, with choppy waves. No way they could run across it. Plus, Tora readily admitted her training with water-walking wasn't very well developed, so unless Naruto or Kiba carried her, they wouldn't get across that way. So instead they headed further south to try and find a boat or a bridge or some means to get across. Or maybe just a shallower, calmer spot where they could wade in up to their waist and pass in such a fashion.

Fortunately, they found just that.

"Hey guys, look!" shouted Naruto, who'd moved on ahead (sick of listening to his comrades arguing the whole while, to say nothing of the dirty looks both their pets were giving one another). "I can see a bridge up ahead! It looks sturdy!"

The three of them rushed forward, anxious to be out of the depressing Twilight Country, and found it was just as Naruto described. A fairly simple but sturdy looking wooden bridge, wide enough for three to pass side by side comfortably.

With a whoop of joy, Kiba was determined to be the first across, and raced there with Akamaru by his side. Tora and Naruto followed behind, a short distance behind...

... and that is when Dokueki struck.

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Dokueki had actually caught up to the team earlier that day, but had kept his distance to observe them, hidden in the shadows. He hadn't become one of the chief assassins in Hidden Swamp by being a fool, after all, which was considerably more than could be said about his comrades.

Based on what he saw, as well as what he knew from the reports of their rescue mission, the Konoha genin were powerful but uncoordinated, unorganized, and their rescued Owani lady wasn't helping much. But they were still a threat, and so a frontal assault wasn't an option, even for a fully trained jounin like Dokueki. So instead he'd moved ahead to a logical ambush point and prepared some of his more formidable jutsu to use against them when they arrived.

And now, he struck.

"_Suishouha_!"

The waters below the bridge, already in an agitated state, became downright aggressive, rising up as a small tidal wave that swept towards the bridge with frightening speed. The impact cracked the foundation of the bridge but, miraculously, it held together. However, those traveling atop of it were not nearly so fortunate. Naruto slammed into the railing hard, though fortunately without sustaining serious injury from the impact. Beside him, Tora wasn't nearly so fortunate, being much more lightweight she was swept clear over the railing and went splashing down into the waters below, coughing and spluttering.

Further down, Kiba was in much better straights, having been able to dodge aside much of the watery attack. Upon spotting Tora's predicament, however, he pitched himself clean over the side and into the water after her.

Naruto, meanwhile, turned to face their enemy, who'd sprung from the shore to land on the far railing of the bridge as he stood. Now that he was much closer it was easier to make it some features, though he was shrouded head to toe in black shinobi garb, and wearing a mask not unlike his own sensei's. Hair so dark it was almost green flowed behind his head, being painstakingly drawn into a series of dreadlocks. Perpetually wet, they clung to his skull and shoulders like the tentacles of a squid, and the image was further enforced by what skin was visible of his face and his bare arms, being clammy and pale. A number of pouches hung from his sides, and a chuunin flak jacket rested on his chest, but he displayed no other unusual equipment or apparel.

His forehead protector bore the image of Hidden Swamp, however, leaving no doubt in Naruto's mind what he was here for.

"You bastard! Why can't you people leave Tora alone?!" shouted Naruto, grabbing up kunai and holding it at the ready.

"Her clan have long been thorns in our side," spat Dokueki from behind his mask. "We had hoped to learn a way to destroy them through her, but alas, we underestimated your abilities. It won't happen again... brat."

"Grrr," Naruto growled. At his feet, Tigtig and Akamaru gave similar challenging hisses and growls. "_Kage Bunshin no Jutsu_!"

A puff of smoke filled the air and six Narutos charged out of it, all with kunai upraised to do battle with their opponent. However, rather than shock or fear, Dokueki looked faintly pleased with himself.

"I thought as much," he hissed. "So you like to use replications, mm? Well try this on for size," he replied, snapping his hands together into seal. "_Hikari Bunshin no Jutsu_!"

Six clones of Dokueki then launched themselves towards Narutos, and the two sides met in a flurry of attacks. Each time a blow was landed, the clone vanished in a puff of smoke or a burst of light, and Naruto and Dokueki sent in another small squad with much the same results. While Dokueki's attacks were faster, and his side tended to overwhelm Naruto's with sheer power, Naruto had a near unlimited supply of chakra to draw upon, and kept sending more and more clones in to do battle.

Changing tactics, Dokueki signaled for two of his clones to fall back and slip under the bridge, and they emerged on the other side, grabbing hold of the original Naruto (or so they presumed) and allowing him to send a flurry of kunai flying to tear him apart. Alas, their plan failed, for the original had already slipped into the fight with is others and was working his way towards the original Doukeki. Hurling his own pair of shuriken, Naruto removed the rest of the clones, leaving a clear path for him to charge forward, fist upraised to smash in Dokueki's nose.

But while Dokueki came from a village of incompetent fools and weaklings, he was the best they had to offer, and even that was enough of a challenge for a mere genin like Naruto.

Taking advantage of the slick floorboards, Dokueki pushed himself forward and slid underneath Naruto as the blonde-haired boy miscalculated his jump, flying over Dokueki. As he flew overhead, Dokueki formed some quick seals and tugged down on his mask.

"_Suiton, Taihoudan_!"

A stream of water spat forth and slammed into Naruto's body like a geyser, vaulting him up into the air and clear over the side of the bridge into the river, even as Dokueki flipped gracefully back up onto his feet.

One down, two to go.

But as he turned, his keen senses warned him of danger, and he spotted a soaked, very surly Kiba on one end of the bridge, and a dripping wet, frazzled Tora on the other, both with their familiars by their feet. And both of them looked very, very angry with him.

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**Author's Notes: **

Hikari means Light, so Dokueki's clones are light to Naruto's shadow. Seemed suitable for a Twilight country jounin. 


	4. Teamwork

Quickly realizing he was outnumbered and surrounded, Dokueki switched tactics to even the odds, slicing open his thumb on the edge of one of his kunai and forming some quick hand-seals, then slamming his open palm on the ground.

"_Kuchiyose no Jutsu_!"

An explosion rocked the bridge, shaking its foundation already, and forcing Kiba and Tora to throw their hands up to defend themselves. When it cleared, coiled on the bridge beside Dokueki was a serpent. And not just the ordinary kind that Kiba and Akamaru went hunting in the gardens every morning, this one was at least fifty feet long, and nearly a foot wide in some places. Worse, it bore the same sigil as was on Dokueki's forehead protector, branded into it's scales between it's beady yellow eyes.

A summoning. Great, more to worry about.

"Take the girl!" commanded Dokueki, launching himself at Kiba. The snake nodded and with frightening speed shot forward. Before Tora could react it had slipped around her in a tight embrace, pinning her left arm to her side and squeezing her tightly.

"Ackt!"

"Tora!"

"Worry about your own problems, dog-boy!" shouted Dokueki, hurling some shuriken at him and Akamaru.

Kiba snapped his head up and out of the way, but couldn't get his body to follow quite as quickly, and the shuriken tore through his jacket above his arm. Blood started to flow, but the wound was shallow and he wasn't badly injured, but it still hurt like hell. Giving a growl, Kiba changed tactics and hurled forward some small black spheres. They shattered on impact with the bridge, and smoke billowed out instantly, obscuring Dokueki's vision. That gave Kiba and Akamaru the time they needed to make their own preparations.

"_Shikyaku no Jutsu_ and _Juujin Bunshin_!"

Already vaguely familiar with the sorts of techniques that the Owani clan used, Dokueki wasn't surprised that Inuzuka's were similars. Thus, when two Kiba's emerged from the smoke, fangs and claws forward to tear him apart, he wasn't the least bit surprised.

He was even ready for them.

"You little beast!" shouted Dokueki, hurling a kunai with three exploding tags at the far end of the bridge and launching himself backwards into a flip to clear it. The explosion missed both Kiba's, who leapt onto the railings lightly, but it hit the bridge, and within moments the entire structure was on the verge of collapse.

Both Kiba and Akamaru turned and nodded to one another in perfect sync, pushing off their crumbling perches and launching into the air.

"_Gatsuuga_!!"

In mid-flight they began to spin and hurled themselves forward like a pair of drills, speeding right towards Dokueki.

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While Dokueki dueled with the dogs, Tora had her own troubles fighting off his gigantic snake summon. Tigtig wasn't of much help either. Though her persian friend had happily leapt onto the snake's side and sunk his tiny teeth into it's scales, it wasn't doing much to hamper the serpent. Or even get it's attention, or so it seemed.

So it was time for a change of tactics.

Wriggling her left hand free between two coils of the snake and bringing her right hand down, she barely managed to form the necessary seals, utilizing a nearby hunk wood that had formerly been a beam in the bridge.

"_Kawamiri no Jutsu_!"

A puff of smoke later, and the beam was being crushed instead by the serpent, and Tora was free. Tigtig immediately leapt clear as she was on the offensive, crossing her arms in front of her chest and spreading her fingertips. Her nails, as well as her eyes, began to glow as she filled the former with chakra.

She wasn't heir to the Owani clan for nothing, after all.

"_Katon - Neko Tsume_!" she shouted, and flung her arms forward. Her nails, now flaming cat claws, shot forth as if they were kunai, and all ten struck unerringly into the scaly side of the great serpent, prompting a screech of pain from it's fanged mouth.

Wounded and pained but not defeated, the serpent withdrew a safe distance, and then shot forward with startling speed towards Tora, who leapt up and out of the way. She landed in a crouched position on all fours, hissing like a wildcat, then winced. Her sides her abysmally from the constriction, though she didn't feel the sharp pain that indicated a broken bone. Pushing down the pain, she then launched herself forward to give the serpent a kick upside it's head for her trouble, knocking it backwards but doing very little damage. For that, she needed her partner.

"Tigtig! Time for us to get serious!"

A meow and a nod met her, and Tigtig sprang nimbly to land atop of Tora's head (nearly getting lost amidst her crimson curls) as she formed the seals for a joint-jutsu.

"_Konbi Henge: Tora's Kyoneko_!"

When the smoke cleared, where Tora and Tigtig had previously stood now lay a powerful striped tiger with crimson fur and the same emerald eyes as Tora. And not just an ordinary tiger, this beast stood nearly twice the size of a regular one, with teeth like kunai and claws almost as big as a short sword. Giving a mighty roar in challenge, the cat hurled itself forward at the snake, resulting in a near-epic battle of the beasts.

A battle which ended up with a rather smug looking red tiger crouched victoriously over the remains (well, pieces really) of a green serpent.

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Her chakra reserves running low, Tora and Tigtig reverted back to human and kitten forms to conserve it, then moved to help Kiba, who was having his share of trouble with Dokueki. Try as they might, neither side was able to land a single blow on the other. Dokueki's attacks were batted away by the spinning of the Inuzuka's, and he simply dodged aside their attacks before they got too close.

Kiba landed, panting heavily for breath. Akamaru did the same nearby. Tora's keen eyes could tell the difference, though it was subtle, and anyone not born Owani would've had trouble picking upon such subtlties.

Dokueki surely didn't, for if he had, he would've gone after Kiba first with his next attack. As it was, his kunai hit the ground and the tag attached exploded next to...

"AKAMARU!"

Losing his humanoid form in mid-flight, the poor little dog went flying into the river with a heavy splash. Kiba, enraged, hurled himself forward, but Dokueki was amply prepared, knocked aside his fist, and responded with a hard kick that caught Kiba full in the ribs. He stumbled backwards, sinking to his knees.

Dokueki, unaware of the fate of his summons or Tora's position, grabbed up some kunai, and amused himself by whirling them on his fingers as he made his way towards Kiba to finish him off. "You stupid little brat... you've given me -and- the Hidden Swamp more than enough trouble... so it's time to put you to sleep...!"

Tora's eyes caught Kiba's, and she nodded once. As if thinking the same thing, he instantly realized her plan.

"... for good!"

Dokueki reared back his hand, but a fat ball of fur launched itself into the air and sank his teeth into the Swamp ninja's wrist. Fully half a second later, the impact set in, and he gave an undignified screech, waving his arm about to dislodge the annoying little furball.

"Get it off! Get it off!"

"_Katon - Neko Tsume_!"

Dokueki's head snapped up, eyes wide in fear, and he launched himself skyward to narrowly avoid being impaled by flaming claws that shot underneath him. However, between the two attacks he was sufficiently distracted not to have noticed Kiba's own moving into position.

"_Tsuuga_!"

Kiba's attack struck with the force of a battering ram, slamming fully into Dokueki's unprotected back and wrenching a cry of pain from the Hidden Swamp jounin, even as he was sent hurtling through the air to crash down on the far side of the river. As cruel fate would have it, he struck the shore just a few feet away from an impact in the water, which might've been far kinder to him.

Kiba landed on his feet, and immediately stumbled. Soft hands quickly caught him before he fell.

"Hey, it's okay... I gotcha..."

Kiba glanced up to see Tora's concerned green eyes peer down at him. "... thanks," he said after a moment, when he managed to stand on his own feet without assistance. A quick inspection proved he wasn't as badly as hurt as he thought he was. No broken bones, certainly, just badly bruised all over.

"You're welcome," she replied. "I guess this makes us even for rescuing me from Swamp in the first place," she added playfully. He laughed at that, and she started to join, but then clutched her sides, which were still also bruised from the snake's constriction. "Ooooh... that hurt... I think I just lost about eight lives."

Speaking of lives reminded Kiba, and his eyes widened. "Akama-...!"

"S'okay, I got him," came a third voice, from down by the river.

Uzumaki Naruto, his blonde spikes dripping wet and his entire body soaked, bus his expression still happy, strolled out of the water, carrying a white lump of fur in his arms. Both Tora and Kiba moved in quickly to take a look, finding Akamaru uninjured (if unconscious).

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It was half a day later that the team made it back to Konoha's gates and made their report to the Hokage'a office. Though Tora had been ambushed before they'd made it there by an overjoyed father who'd nearly sent her to the hospital himself, the way he hugged her, further abusing her bruised sides. Tsunade was more reserved in her welcoming home of Kiba and Naruto, though a faint smile tugged at her lips.

"On behalf of Konoha, we formally welcome you home," she stated. Tora, mindful of her manners, bowed respectfully, and even Tigtig gave a happy mewl from their perch in her arms.

"I will do my very best," she replied.

"Yes, I've no doubt," replied Tsunade, who'd been eyeing the reports Kiba and Naruto had given. Typical of most of Naruto's reports, it was lacking on details outside of a battle, and then going into a detailed blow-by-blow account, though Naruto's poor grammar and writing made it difficult to read. Kiba's was much more concise, though not as much as his teammates tended to be. Still, she knew enough. "Based on the accounts of your conduct during the rescue mission, I'd say you've more than met the requirements we set here in Konoha. You'll be assigned to a three-man team once you've recovered..."

"I'm ready now...!" she replied cheerfully. "Hokage-sama," she added respectfully, remembering herself.

Tsunade arched an eyebrow but decided to let it pass. "Jounin Otonashi will be your squad leader, and Hiro and Sarochi your teammates. They recently lost one of their number during a mission and need a replacement. Report to her first thing tomorrow at training ground two. Be prompt!"

"Roger!" she replied, with a happy salute. She was still smiling when she, Kiba, and Naruto were dismissed so Tsunade could see to her paperwork.

"Oiy! Inuzuka!"

"What?" grumbled Kiba, turning back to face Tora, who still held onto that overly bright smile.

"I... well I just wanted to say it's gonna be fun living here in Konoha! Especially if I get to see more of you guys all the time," she added.

"Uh... yeah..." he replied dully. "And... thanks to you too. For saving my life."

She gave him a playful swat on the shoulder (which earned a wince, since she struck his injured one). "Anytime, dog boy!"

"Hey, you two seem to be getting along pretty well now," remarked Naruto.

Kiba and Tora snatched their hands back as if they'd caught fire.

"We... we are no such thing," replied Kiba briskly. "I'm just glad she didn't get in my damn way during the fight!"

"Your way! How dare you, you stupid mutt I was the one who distracted that Swamp while your dog was knocked into the drink! Incidently, the smell of wet dog? I can do without!"

"Shuttup! It was your fault you got kidnapped in the first place! And this is the gratitude we get for rescuing you?!"

"Harumphf! Stupid Dog."

"Harumphf! Stupid Cat."

As one, both Tora and Kiba turned on their heels and marched in opposite directions, leaving one very confused blonde ninja standing in the middle of the hallway, scratching his forehead.

"What the heck... was it something I said?"

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Watching from an adjacent room where they'd been waiting, Tsume and Tora's father smiled. The next few years would be interesting in an effort to make peace between the often troubled Inuzuka and Owani clans… but it would be well worth it.

And now at least, all debts had been repaid.

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**Author's Notes:**

Katon - Neko Tsume is "Flaming Cat Claws," and it hurts like hell. Konbi Henge: Tora's Kyoneko is the "Combination Transformation: Tora's Big Cat" technique. Basically, since Tora's name already means Tiger.


End file.
